36.66 Grants to meet emergency financial need.

(1) In this section:

(a) “Eligible student" means a student enrolled in a college campus whose expected family contribution, as defined in s. 39.437 (3) (a), is less than $5,000.

(b) “Financial emergency" means an unplanned event causing an unanticipated expense, such as charges for medical treatment or vehicle repair, that would cause an eligible student to not complete that term if a grant were not available to cover the expense, but does not include such expenses as those for tuition, textbooks, student fees, alcohol or tobacco, groceries, entertainment, legal services, or fines or forfeitures resulting from legal violations.

(2) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (e), no later than September 1, 2016, and by September 1 of each year thereafter, the board shall distribute funds to the college campuses for payment of grants under this section. These funds may not be used by the college campuses for any other purpose. The amount distributed by the board to each college campus shall be determined by the board based on the anticipated need and demand for grants at each college campus.

(3)

(a) Subject to pars. (b) to (d), each college campus may award grants to eligible students to pay the student's expense resulting from a financial emergency. In evaluating a grant application, the college campus shall, in its discretion and based on its best judgment, determine whether the student has incurred a legitimate financial emergency.

(b) No grant may be awarded to a student unless the student has submitted with the grant application written proof, such as a bill, identifying the nature and amount of the expense and the 3rd party to whom this amount is owed.

(c) A college campus may not award more than 2 grants under this section to the same student in any academic year. The total of all grants made to a student under this section in the same academic year may not exceed $500.

(d) A grant under this section may not be disbursed in cash. The grant funds shall be disbursed in any of the following ways:

1. By check made payable to the student and delivered to the student.

2. By check made payable to the 3rd party identified under par. (b) and delivered to the 3rd party or to the student.

3. By electronic fund transfer or other electronic deposit to an account maintained by the student at a financial institution.

(4) Each college campus shall create or adopt a brief application process and designate an employee with the authority to disburse the grant funds to eligible students. A decision on a grant application, and disbursement of grant funds to a student if a grant is awarded, shall be made within 5 business days of the student's application.

(5) If a student applies for a 2nd grant under this section within the same academic year, a college campus shall require the student to undergo a financial counseling session with a financial aid professional before the grant may be awarded.

(6)

(a) Each college campus shall collect, for each academic year, the following information related to the grant program under this section:

1. The number of grants awarded.

2. The number of grant requests denied.

3. The number of students receiving grants.

4. The total amount of grant money awarded.

5. The total amount of grant money available but not awarded.

6. The number of students who received a grant and completed their degree or credential.

7. The number of students who received a grant and transferred to another postsecondary institution.

8. The number of students who received a grant and did not complete the term in which the grant was awarded.

9. The types of expenses for which students requested grants.

(b) By June 30, 2017, and by June 30 of each year thereafter, each college campus shall report to the board the information collected under par. (a), for the academic year ending in that calendar year, and the board shall submit a report of this information to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3) having jurisdiction over matters relating to colleges and universities.

History: 2015 a. 282.